When Lefebvre's book first appeared in the 1960s it was considered a manifesto for a social movement that focused on the quality of life experienced by the individual--by the common man and woman. His emphasis on the quality of life will have even more appeal to those currently living with the problems of inflation, unemployment, and dwindling natural re-sources.

Basing his discussions on everyday life in France, Lefebvre shows the degree to which our lived-in world and our sense of it are shaped by decisions about which we know little and in which we do not participate. He evaluates the achievements and shortcomings of applying various philosophical perspectives such as Marxism and Structuralism to daily life, studies the impact of consumerism on society, and looks at effects on society of linguistic phenomena and various kinds of terrorism communicated through mass media.

In his new introduction to this edition, Philip Wander evaluates Lefebvre's ideas by relating many of them to current contexts. He discusses the political and economic aspects of daily life in the 1980s, the work environment, communications, and the world of science and technology.